- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Russia 'Only Country With Right Strategy in Syria' - Retired French General

© Photo : Russian Defence MinistryEveryday life of the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airfield in Syria
Everyday life of the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airfield in Syria - Sputnik International
Subscribe
The Syrian army's liberation of Palmyra is proof of the correctness of Russia's military and diplomatic strategy in Syria, says retired French Brigadier General Dominique Trinquand. Moscow, he notes, has been the only power that has consistently maintained a diplomatic course aimed at bringing the war to an end through negotiation.

A Syrian Army soldier carries a Daesh flag as he stands on a street in the ancient city of Palmyra on March 27, 2016 - Sputnik International
Residents Return to Liberated Palmyra, Thank Russia for Helping Hand
On Sunday, the Syrian Army announced that it had successfully cleared the ancient city of Palmyra from Daesh (ISIL) militants, with the assistance of Russian air power and pro-government militia.

Welcoming the news, Brigadier General Trinquand, a retired officer who now serves as a military expert and international relations consultant, explained that the 'whole world' now recognizes that Moscow has conducted the right military and diplomatic strategy in Syria all along.

"I think that the whole world, after some delay, has come to understand that Russia's strategy in Syria is a good strategy…that the Russian Federation is the only party which has consistently promoted the course for a settlement," he noted, speaking to French radio station France Info.

According to the officer, Russia's diplomatic approach has been of key importance in pushing Damascus and opposition forces toward the negotiating table in Geneva, as a means of resolving the conflict without further bloodshed. 

At the same time, Trinquand praised Russia's logistical support for the Syrian government in its ongoing fight against Daesh.

Liberation of Palmyra: Syrian soldiers with the flag of Syria are marching through Palmyra. - Sputnik International
Palmyra's Liberation Greeted With Praise Despite Silence of Officials
Syria has faced a brutal military conflict between government troops and armed opposition forces for over five years. According to the UN, the war has claimed over 220,000 lives, out of a pre-war population of 21.96 million, and created millions of refugees and internally displaced persons. Government forces have faced off against a powerful and diverse group of militants owing their allegiance to a variety of ideologies and foreign sponsors, the most active among them being Daesh and the al-Nusra Front (which serves as Al-Qaeda's franchise in Syria).

On September 30, 2015, at the request of the Syrian government, Russia began pinpoint-targeted airstrikes against Daesh, al-Nusra, and other terrorist groups. On March 15, 2016, in connection with having fulfilled its core objectives, Russian forces began a partial withdrawal. At the same time, the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces have continued their air war against Daesh in and around Palmyra as Syrian government forces and their allies advanced.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала